Pressing apparatus



Aug. 6, 1935.

A. 0. LONG I PRESSING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1953 7 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 0. [any A'r'rohNEY Aug. 6, 1935. A. 0. LONG PRESSING APPARATUS Filed May '15, 1933 7 Sheets SheP-i 2 mm 0% mm mm a 0. 10/2; ATTOfRNEY Aug. 6, 1935. 'A. 0. LONG 2,010,097

I PRESSING APPARATUS Filed May 15, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1935. A. 0. LONG 2,010,097

PRESSING APPARATUS Filed May- 15, 1933 7 Sheets-Sheet 4v Aug. 6, 1935. A. 0. LONG PRES S ING APPARATUS v Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 15, 1953 R Y 0% o M E T 0 .N ml m v0 T N T 7 w I./ A i b MY MB R any 7 Aug. 6, 1935. A00. LONG PRESSING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 15, 1933 'INVENOR ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1935. A. 0. LONG PRESSING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 15, 1953 INVENTOR firm 0. L00; B

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

My invention relates to a garment pressing apparatus and has for its principal object to provide a machine capable of large production of high quality work showing no overlaps or wrinkles in 5 the finished garment.

It is also an important object of the invention to press an entire right front half of one garment and the entire left half of a second garment in one pressing operation.

Other important objects of the invention are to provide for fewer adjustments of the garment being pressed, to provide adjustment for accommodating the machine to various size garments, to

provide for substantially automatic press operation, and to afford safety to the operators of the machine.

In accomplishing these and other objects 01' the invention, 1 have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a pressing appar'atus embodying the features of my invention and particularly designed for pressing shirts, coats, summer suits and similar garments.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the portion of the machine for pressing the entire body of a shirt.

Fig. 3 is a similar vertical longitudinal sectional view through the portion of the machine for 30 pressing the cuffs, collar and yoke gussets of the shirt.

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view illustrating the right and left front pressing bucks in position to be moved into pressing engagement with the iron- 35 ing head. 7

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the back pressing buck in position to be moved into pressing engagement with the ironing head.

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view through 0 the tail clamp and its supporting mechanism.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the shirt body pressing turret showing the back pressing buck being rotated from the ironing head and the front pressing bucks being moved into position under the ironing head, parts of the bucks being broken away to better illustrate the construction of the machine.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical-sectional view through one of the back pressing buck sections, 50 particularly illustrating the method of withdrawing moisture from the pad of the buck and showing the bridge plate for covering the space between the sections of the buck. P Fig. 9 is a detail sectional view through the turret actuating cylinder and valves controlling exhaust and air supply thereto and exhaust from the press actuating cylinder.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail sectional view on the line l0|I|,Fig. '7.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail perspective view of 5 the collar and band clamp mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a detail side elevational view of the lever mechanism controlling operation of the collar and neck band clamp.

Fig. 13 is a similar view partly in section showing the mechanism for drawing the neck band into clamping engagement with the neck band blocks.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of the cuff, collar, yoke and gusset pressing bucks, showing shirts applied thereon.

Fig. 15 is a cross section through one of the body pressing bucks showing the clamp for securing the covering material.

I Fig. 16 is a detail perspective view of an end of one of the clamps. p

Fig.1? is a detail view of one of the gusset pressing bucks.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates the frame of the machine, which includes a base member 2, pairs of vertical posts 3, 4 and 5, 6 and a header member I.

The base includes right angularly extending portions 8, 9, having horizontal webs l0 and side flanges II and i2 for spacing the webs from the floor.

The vertical posts 4, 5 and 6,1 and a supplemental post l3 comprise cylindrical shafts having reduced threaded ends it and I5 forming F spaced shoulders for engaging the webs i0 and the lower flange of the header member I, respectively.

The header member I also includes right angularly extending portions [6 and i1 having substantially the same length as the complementary 40 portions of the base member and comprise I-beam members having vertical webs I8 and horizontal flanges i9 and 20.

The pairs of posts 3, 4 are supported on the right angular portion 8 of the base member and the posts 5', 6 on the right angular portion 9, while the supplemental post i3 is supported adjacent upper ends of the posts and engaging against the upper flanges H).

The pairs of posts 3, 4, including the header portions i6 and base portion 8 form a supporting structure for the shirt body pressing mechanism while the posts 5, 6, including the header portion 1 and base portion 8 form a similar supporting structure for the cuff, collar, gusset and yoke pressing mechanism later described.

In carrying out my invention, I provide for pressing the entire left front half of one shirt and the entire front half of a second shirt, while the back of a third shirt is being arranged on the back pressing buck.. Then when the back of the third shirt is being pressed, the right front half and the left front half of the first and second shirts are being prepared for the pressing operation.

It is thus apparent that the entire body of one shirt is pressed upon the equivalent of two actuations of the press.

In order that this may be readily accomplished,

I provide separate bucks for the back and fronts of a shirt and mount them on a turret so that while the back of a shirt is being pressed under the ironing head, the operator is placing shirts in position on the front pressing bucks.

The body pressing bucks are mounted on a turret 21 that is rotatably mounted on the post 3, as now described. The turret 21 includes a cylindrical hub 28 rotatably mounted on the shaft 3 and having its lower end resting on the upper face of the web iii, while its upper end is engaged by a collar 28 that is fixed to the post as best illustrated in Fig. 2. Extending upwardly. and outwardly from the hub 28 at a point spaced from its lower end are arms 38 and 3| which cooperate with similar arms 32 and 33 extending from the upper end of the hub for supporting vertically arranged bearing sleeves 34 and 35 in spaced relation to the hub.

Mounted in the respective sleeves 34 and 35 are the supporting structures for the front and back pressing bucks 36 and 31, respectively. The supporting structure for the bucks includes a yoke 38 having cylindrical guide members 39 slidably mounted in the bores 40 of the sleeves 34 and 35, but retained from rotation therein by splines 4| carried by the sleeve members.

Formed on the terminal arms 42 of the yokes are heads 43 having rectangular shaped grooves 44 for mounting horizontally arranged guide bars 45 and 46 having their ends projecting laterally from opposite sides of the yokes, the guide bars being retained in the grooves by set screws 41. Supported on the ends of the guide bars are the bucks 36 and 31 over which the shirts are extended as on the lower face'of each plate and spaced to conform to the spacing of the guide bars 45 and 46 are pairs of ribs 51 and 58 for slidably engaging the side faces of the bars whereby the sections are guided for movement to and from each other as later described.

The groove 54 is covered by a perforated plate 59 having its side edges supported on recessed shoulders 60 so that the top face of the plate aligns with the upper face of the plate portion of the buck.

Yieldingly supported on the plate portion of the bucks by coiled springs 6| are perforated plates 62 for carrying a conventional padding material 63 retained by a covering that is sleeved over the outer edges of the bucks and secured to their inner edges by toothed clamping plates 63' (Figs. 15 and 16). The clamping plates 63 have slotted ears 63" that are slidingly retained on the bucks by fastening devices 64, the plates being urged into Y clamping position by springs 64 sleeved on rods 64" and having their ends engaging wing nuts 65 on the rods and against ears 65 on the bucks in which the rods are slidingly mounted, as shown in Fig. 15.

The buck sections for the garment fronts move to and vfrom each other for adjusting the collar portions d? the shirts supported thereon relatively to the collar and neck band clamp later described, whereby shirts of different sizes are retained in proper position to press closely around the neck band. The back buck sections are similarly movable but simply for the purpose of adjusting their size relatively to the back width of a shirt. 'Io accomplish this movement, each yoke 38 carries a tubular sleeve 86 threaded in a socket 66' formed in axial alignment with the guide post 39 to form a spindle for rotatably mounting vertically spaced gears 61 and 61' for the front bucks and a single gear 58 for the back buck.

Meshing with the respective gears 81 and 61 are rack bars 69 and ID, the rack bars being arranged at opposite sides of the respective gears and secured to the under face of the respective plate portions 53 of the bucks by bolts 1| extending through spacing sleeves I2 whereby the racks are spaced a required distance below the plates to mesh with the gears.

The sections of the back buck are provided with similar rack bars that engage the teeth at opposite sides of the single gear. In order to rotate the gears 61, 61' and 68, they carry laterally projecting rods 13, It and 15 respectively having sufficient length to project from under the bucks in easy reach of the operator.

It is thus apparent that the front buck sections are individually movable for the purpose of accommodating a variety of shirt sizes by manipulation of the rods 13 and 14, while the sections of the back are moved together by operation of the lever I5.

In order to support the sleeves and that part of the garments not supported on the top of he bucks, I provide the yoke members 38 with laterally extending wings 16 and Ti. The wings include slightly curved metal sheets having their inner edges fixed to the side edges of flanges 18 and I8 and their outer edges extending slightly beyond the outer end edges 01. the bucks as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The flange portion 18 for the front bucks also provides a support for an upwardly curved bracket 88 having a tubular nave portion 8| forming a hinge element for pivotally mounting a collar and neck band clamp supporting plate 82.

- plate 82 is provided with ears 83 cooperating with the nave portion 8| to receive a hinge bolt 84 by which the rear of the plate is secured to the bracket in substantially horizontal alignment with the upper faces of the pressing bucks. The plate 82 includes laterally extending arms 85 and 86 to which are secured track members 81 and 88 carrying neck band blocks 89 and 98 that rest upon the bucks.

The neck band blocks are substantially quadrant shaped and have curved forward edges 9I conforming in shape to the inner front portions of the neck bands of the shirts that are supported on the bucks. I

It is thus app rent that the blocks 89 and 98 are loosely supported on the upper faces of the pressing bucks to permit adjustment of'the pressing bucks as above described.

Slidably mounted on thetrack members 81 and 88 are rectangular sleeve members 92 and 93 carrying laterally extending bosses 94 and 95 to which the ends 96 and 91 of neck band retaining loops 98 and 99 are secured. The loops 98 and 99 are preferably formed of resilient flat spring like metal and conform in shape to the front faces of the neck blocks as illustrated in Fig. 11.

The neck band loops are normally retained in yielding engagement with the front face of the blocks by springs I88 that are positioned in recesses I8I formed longitudinally within the tracks 81 and 88 as illustrated in Fig. 13, one end of the springs bearing against the bottoms I82 of the recesses and the opposite end against pins I83 carried by the sleeve members 92 and 93 and extending through slots I84 formed in the track members.

It is thus apparent (Fig. 13) that the springs retain the sleeve members 92 and 93 in retractive position with the forward inner face of the loops 'in clamping engagement with the blocks for clamping the front portion of the neck band and collar therebetween in locating the yokes of the shirts in proper position on the pressing bucks.

in order to move the neck band loops, away from the blocks for the insertion of the shirt band, I provide a lever actuated mechanism now to be described.

R/otatably mounted in bearing openings I85 and I86 formed in the guide tracks 81 and 88 and in similar bearing openings I81, in lugs I88 and I89 projecting from the plate 82 is a horizontal shaft IID having its ends extending beyond the track members. Fixed to the outer endsof the shaft are cam disks III having their peripheries engaging against the rear ends of the sleeve members 92 and 93, Fig. 11. Also fixed on the shaft II8 intermediate the lugs I88 and I89 is a lever arm I I2 whereby the shaft may be rocked to cause the cam disks to move the sleeve members toward the pressing bucks, thereby moving the neck band loops away from the blocks 89 and 98.

vIn order to latch the neck band loops in released position, the tracks 81 and 88 carry latch members H3 and II4,Figs.1l and 12. The latch members include flat body portions II5 overlying the upper faces of the track members and having depending arms H6 and H1 straddling the track members and terminating in hooks I I8 arranged to enter recesses I I9 in the sleeve members 92 and 93, and engage lugs I28. The latch members H3 and I I4 are pivotally mounted on the track mem: bers by screws I 2| extending through the arms I I5 and I I1 and into the sides of the track members.

The body portions II5 of the latches extend forwardly along the upper faces of the track members and carry depending pins I22 and I23 that are reciprocable through openings I24 in the respective track members. The latches are normally retained in position to engage the sleeve engaging under the body portion of the latch members and the bottom of a recess I26 formed in the track members, Fig. 13.

It is thus apparent that when the lever arm I I2 is moved in a clockwise direction, Figs. 11 and 12,

the eccentric disks will move the sleeve membersinto latching engagement with the latch members I I3 and H4, which hold the neck band loops away from the neck band blocks, Fig. 12, against the stored up tension of the springs I88.

The latch members may be released by pressing on the heads I21 of the pins I22 and I23 which cause the hooks II8 to disengage the lugs I28, whereupon the springs I88 will shift the sleeve members to retracted position for drawing the neck band loops into engagement with the blocks 89 and 98.

To return the lever arms I I2 to non-functional position, the shaft H8 is provided with coiled springs I28 and I29 having their ends engaging in apertures in the lugs I88 and I89 and in apertures formed in collars I38 fixed to the shaft. When the lever is swung in a clockwise direction, the springs will wind about the shafts so that the stored up tension will retract the lever to nonfunctional position after the sleeve members'have been moved into latching engagement.

The plates 82 include a forwardly extending portion I35having upwardly extending lugs I36 and I31 to rotatably support a shaft I38 extending parallel with the shaft IIO. Fixed on the ends of the shaft I 38 at points directly over the latch members are cam disks I39 and I48 for depressing the body portions of the latch members to automatically release them from engagement with the sleeve members later described. The shaft I38 also carries a lever arm I4I fixed thereto in such a position that it will strike a stop on the ironing head later described. Loosely members by coiled springs I25 sleeved over the 'pins I22 and I23 and having their opposite ends mounted on the shaft I38 adjacent the arm I4I is an eccentric disk I42 that is connected to the lever arm II2 by a link I43 and. extending from the face of the disk I42 is a pin I44 for a purpose later described.

Cooperating with the neck band clamp just described is a tail clamp I45, Figs. 1, 6 and 7, which includes a fiat metal strip I46 having its ends I41 and I48 extending over the upper faces of the front buck sections to clamp the front edges of the shirts in taut condition over the bucks as illustrated in Fig. 7. p

The strip I46 is pivotally carried on the upper end of a vertical rod I49-that is yieldingly supported in a sleeve like bearing I58 carried by the fiange '18 as best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 6.

The sleeve like bearing I58 is provided with an axial bore I5I to slidably mount the rod I49 and a counter bore I52 for guidingly mounting a collar I53 on the rod and for housing a coil spring I 54 having one end engaging against the collar and its other end against the bottom of the counter bore to support the rod. The lower end of the rod I49 is threaded as at I55'and fixed thereto is a laterally extending arm I56 which carries an upwardly extending guide pin I51 slidably mountcd in an opening I58 in the flange 18 for preventing rotation of the rod I49.

The pivotal connection between the plate I86 and rod I49 includes depending ears I59 on the bottom of the plate engaging the sides of a cylindrical head I68 on the rod, a bolt I6I being extended through the ears and head to form the pivot. The rear edge I62 of the strip I 16 is retained in clamping engagement with the upper faces of the bucks by a coiled spring I63 having one end hooked in an aperture I6 5 in the plate and its opposite end fixed to a screw I65 carried by the flange 18.

To bridge the space between the sections of the back pressing buck, I provide a flat plate I68 having feathered side edges I69 overlying the upper faces of the buck sections, Fig. 8, and which is supported to move with the padding material on the bucks by pins I18 and I18 depending from the under side of the plate and extending through guide openings I11 formed in the yoke member 38 which supports the back pressing bucks.

The pins I18 and I18 carry coil springs I12 having their upper ends bearing against the plate and their lower ends against the yoke member to normally retain the plate in alignment with the yieldable upper faces of the pressing buck sections. ited by nuts I13 threaded on the lower ends of the pins and engaging against stop shoulders I13 of the yoke member.

The bridge plate is preferably covered by a double faced flannel cloth I14 having its side edges overlapping the sides of the plate and the flannel I14 is covered by a cloth I15 having its side edges extending beyond the edges of the flannel, shown in Figs. 8 and 15. This is an important feature in the construction of the back pressing bucks, since no creases or wrinkles are formed in a shirt that is pressed thereon.

The ironing head I16 is suspended from the lateral portion I6 of the upper header at a point between the posts 3 and 9, as now to be described.

Extcnding from the opposite side faces of the web I8 are annularly shaped brackets I11 and I18 carrying I-beam sections I19 and I88 that extend longitudinally of the lateral portion I6 of the headtr and below the lower flange 28 thereof, the I-beam sections being secured to the brackets by bolts I8I extending through the brackets and upper flanges of the I-beam sections.

The ironing head includes a substantially rectangular shaped steam chest I 82 having a lower pressing face plate I83 arranged to be engaged by the pressing bucks for the pressing of the garments therebetween. The upper face of the ironing head is provided with a raised portion I88 which is secured to the lower flanges of the I- beam sections by cap screws I85. Steam or the like may be admitted to the steam chest for heating the plate I83 as in ordinary practice through a pipe I86.

To raise the pressing bucks into engagement with the ironing head after they have been moved into position relatively thereto, the lateral portion' 8 of the base member carries an air cylinder I81 having its axis located in vertical alignment with the axis of the guide posts 39 previously described, when one of the bucks is moved into pressing relation with the ironing head, Figs. 1, 4 and 5. The cylinder I81 is supported on spaced parallel I-beam sections I88 extending transversely across the web I8 thereof to mount the lower head I89 of the cylinder. The upper portion of the cylinder is closed by a head I98 having a stufiing box I for slidably mounting a ram I96 having sub- Upward movement of the plate is limstantially the same diameter as the post 39 and which is mounted in substantially abutting relation therewith when in retracted position. Fixed to the lower end of the ram I96 is a piston I91 for actuating the ram when air is admitted to the lower side of the piston to cause the ram to engage and raise the post in its support, thereby lifting the pressing bucks into pressing engagement with the ironing head.

In order to admit the air for actuating the piston, the cylinder includes a valve chest I98 having a cylindrical bore I99 'in which is slidably mounted a cylindrical valve member 288 arranged to reciprocate over an intake port 281 and over an aligning transfer port 282 that communicates the valve chest with the interior of the cylinder.

The valve 288 is actuated by a rod 203 extending upwardly through a stuffing box 284 to a point above the head of the cylinder I81. Threaded onto the upper end of the red are spaced stops 285 and 286 to be engaged by an actuating lever 281. The actuating lever 201 is pivotally mounted on ears 288 carried by the head I98 and has its forward end guided in a socket 289 formed in a boss 218 on the cylinder head.

The lever 281 is retained in valve closing position by a spring 2II having one end bearing against the lever and the other against a cylinder head I89 to normally retain the valve in position for closing the passage 282 to the cylinder. The lever 281 is automatically operated to open the passageway 282, when one of the pressing bucks is moved into functional position below the ironing head, as now to be described.

Extending from the bearing sleeves 34 and 35.

2I6 that move in slots 2I1 formed in the bosses 262 so that the pins, when they engage the lower ends of the slots, form stops to prevent displacement of the plungers.

Just prior to the time a buck is moved into alignment with the ironing head, the plunger for that buck engages one of the inclined tracks 2I8 .and 2I9 extending from opposite sides of the socket 289 so that the plungers are raised by the tracks against tension of their springs to drop into thesocket 289 when the buck has reached its i aligning position with the ironing head. As soon as the plungers drop into the socket 289 they engage the projecting end of the lever 281 and rock the lever upon its pivot for shifting the valve 288 to open communication between the air supply and the passageway 282 to the cylinder. When the valve opens communication to the air cylinder, the air acting on the under face of the piston I91 causes the ram I96 to lift the buck into engagement with the ironing head for pressing the shirts on that buck.

A plunger 2M, upon entering the socket 289. also efiects latching of the turret to prevent iIs rotative movement on the post 3 when the buck is being raised to pressing position.

After the shirt has been pressed, the lever 281 is rocked in the opposite direction to lift the plunger 2M from the socket 289 to permit move- This is accomplished by a foot lever 228 that is pivotally mounted on a bracket 221 carried on the web 10 of the base portion 8 at a point adjacent the post 3. 220 extends forwardly of the base portion 8 in convenient position to the operator, Fig. 1.

The opposite end 223 of the lever is connected by a link 224 with a counter lever 225 having its central portion pivotally suspended from the under face of the web 10 by means of cars 226.

The opposite end of the counter lever 225 is connected by a rod 221 having its upper-end extending loosely through an opening 228 in the end of the lever 202 and carries adjustable stops 229 which engage the upper face of the lever 201 when the plunger 214 is in latched position, Fig. 2.

The foot lever 220 is yieldingly retained in functional position by means of a spring 230 sleeved over the link 224 and having one end bearing against the under face of the web 10 and its opposite end against the counter lever 225.

Thus, when the foot portion of the lever 220 is pressed downwardly, the counter lever 225 is rocked in reverse direction to move the rod 221 in a downward direction causing the stops 229 to rock the lever 201 in a clockwise directionclosing the valve 200 and lifting th plunger 214 from engagement with the socket 209.

Simultaneously with closing of the valve 200, the lever 225 actuates an exhaust valve 231, that is operable in a valve chest 232 located at the opposite side of the cylinder from the valve chest 198 previously described. The air then escapes from the cylinder through a passageway 233 into the valve chest and through an exhaust port 234 to atmosphere.

Upon release of air in the cylinder, the weight of the pressing heads and their support causes the ram to be moved into retracted position so that the pressing bucks may be moved from under the ironing head upon operation of the turret by an actuating cylinder 235. The cylinder 235 is best illustrated in Figs, 2, '1 and 9 and is mounted on the base portion 8 in horizontal position with the aXis thereof extending toward the axis of the post 3. Slidably mounted in the cylinder is a piston 236 carrying a rod 231 slidable through a stufiing box 238 in thecylinder head 239. Rotatably carried on the outer end of the rod is a roller 240 arranged to engage the periphery of a cam 241 which is keyed to the hub portion of the turret by a spline 242, Fig. 2, and includes oppositely extending wing portions 243 and 244 having cam faces curved on radii eccentrically of the axis of the post 3 so that when the roller 246 acts on one of the cam surfaces, the piston 236 will effect rotation of the cam to move the turret for carrying the pressing bucks to and from pressing position with the ironing head.

Air is admitted to the power side of the piston 236 through a valve 245, Fig. 9, which is operable in a valve chest 246 forming a part of the cylinder 235. The valve 245 moves over a port 241 communicating the valve chest with the cylinder 235, Fig. 7. and through which air is delivered to and from the cylinder depending upon the position of the valve 245 relatively to an intake port 248 and an exhaust port 249 located at opposite ends of the valve chest.

The piston 245 is operable by arod 250 complementary to the rod 251 of the exhaust valve, previously described, and has its lower end connected to an arm 252 extending laterally from the lower end of the rod 251. The valves 245 and 231. therefore, operate -together,=-and are so located relatively to their respective ports that when the The pedal end 222 of the lever exhaust valve is open, the valve 245 is in position to allow admittance of air to the power side of the cylinder 235 to cause rotative movement the turret and when the exhaust valve is closed, the valve 245 is in position to allow the air in the cylinder 235 to escape through the port 249. The exhaust valve 231 is positioned to open in advance of the valve 245 to allow the bucks to belowered before the turret starts to revolve.

The cam faces 243 and 244 and the effective stroke of the pistons 236 are such as to rotate the turret through an arc of substantially degrees, but the momentum of the turret causes its complete movement through an arc of 180 degrees to move the other buck into position under the ironing head.

The coasting movement of the turret causes the roller 240 to engage the other cam face to move the piston 236 into retracted position to allow the air to exhaust through port 249, thereby resetting the piston for effecting reverse rotation of the turret when the valves are again actuated.

In order to retain the valve 231 in exhaust position, and the valve 245 in position to continue admissionof air to the cylinder 235 until the turret has rotated through 90 degrees, I provide the foot lever 220 with a holding latch 253 which is illustrated in detail in Fig. 10, the latch 253 being pivotally supported on a lug 254 mount-. ed on the web 10 of the base portion 8 and is normally retained away from the lever and against a cam disk 255 having high lobe portions 256 and 251 located substantially 90 degrees apart .and low lobe portions 258, 259 .and 260 at the opposite sides of the high lobe portions to provide dwells whereby the latch is out of the path of the lever 220 so that the lever may be actuated without interference of the pawl when either of the pressing bucks are in pressing position.

The latch 253 includes a hook portion 261 adapted to engage over the lever as soon as the turret starts to rotate under influence of air in the cylinder 235, but as soon as'one of the low points of the cam aligns with the pawl, the spring 262 withdraws the pawl from engagement with the foot lever to allow the spring 230 to rockthe counter lever 220 and reverse the position of all of the valves.

In order to prevent damage to one of the neck band loops, when the front pressing bucks are moved into alignment with the ironing head, in case the operator fails to return it to clamping engagement with one of the neck band blocks. I provide a T-shaped arm 265 located on the ironing head and projecting therefrom directly in the path of travel of the lever 141.

Just prior to the time the neck band loops are carried into position relative to the ironing head, the lever 141 will rock the shaft 138 to release the latches '113 and 114 and permit retractive movement of the loops in response to the springs 100.

I also provide means for automatically releasing the neck band loops when the front pressing bucks move away from the ironing head.

This is accomplished by a spring pressed pawl 266 pivotally mounted on the bracket 261 carried by the arm 265, Fig. 1,.so that when the pawl engages the pin 144 on the disk 142, the lever 112is rocked by means of the link 143 to rotate the shaft and move the sleeve members into position to be engaged by the latches 1 13 and 114.

The mechanism for pressing the collars and and 215 cooperate with the ironing heads 218 and 219, and the pressing bucks 216 and 211 with an ironing head 288 that are supported on the header portion I1 of the frame, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

The actuating mechanism for the turret and the controls thereof are substantially identical to the similar parts of the body pressing mechanism, and therefore, need not be described in detail.

In order to draw moisture from the padding of the pressing bucks, the sumps 55 communi-' cate with the pipe sections 282 and 282 carried.

by T-fittings 283 that are connected to the upper end of the nipples 64, the ends of the sections telescoping into collars 284 formed integrally with the bucks. 4

The post portions of tho supportingyokes are provided with channels 285 having their upper ends communicating with the nipples and their lower ends communicating with a conduit 286 carried by the turret and which in turn communicates with a vertical duct 281 formed in the post 3. The lower end of the duct 281' is connected through an annular manifold 288 with a pipe 289 leading to a vacuum pump 298, the vacuum pump being actuated by a suitable motor 29I, mounted on the portion of the base between the posts 1, 8 and I3, as best illustrated in Fig. 1.

The pressing buck 214, 215, 216 and 211 may be provided with similar drainage channels which are connected to the vacuum pump by a conduit In operating a machine constructed and assembled as described, an operator stands adjacent the turret carrying the cuif, gusset, yoke and collar pressing bucks and places shirts thereover, as shown in Fig. 14, the yoke (a) of one shirt being spread over the buck 211 and the gussets (b) of that shirt over the bucks 215, while the collar (0) of the other shirt is spread over the buck 216 and the cuffs ((1) over the bucks 214. The turret is then operated to carry the shirts in pressing relation with the ironing heads 218, 219 and 288. While the cuffs, gussets, yoke and collar are being pressed, the operator applies two more shirts to the other set of bucks on the turret to be moved to pressing position upon return movement of the turret to remove the shirts. After the cufis, gussets, yokes and collars have been pressed, the shirts are then reversed on the respective bucks, so that the unpressed cuffs and collar of one shirt and the unpressed gussets and yoke of the other shirt will be pressed upon the next operation of theturret to complete these portions of the shirt. The shirts are then delivered to a second operator who stands in front of the shirt body pressing turret at a point adjacent the control levers 13 and 14 and the foot operating pedal 222 and who then presses the bodies of the shirts.

The complete left front (e) of one shirt is spread over the pressing .buck 58 and the right front (I) of the second shirt is applied over the pressing buck 49 with their side seams (a), Fig.

pawl 253 into 7, closely engaging the outer longitudinal edges of the bucks.

The levers 13 and 14 are then actuated to position the bucks to the size of the shirts so that the front neck band portions (h) thereof are directly engaging against the curved faces of the neck band blocks 89 and 98, after which the operator presses the head I21 of the pins to release the latch members H3 and II4 from engagement with the sleeves 92 and 93 which carry the neck band loops 98 so that the springs I88 draw the neck band loops into clamping engagement with the blocks 89 and 98 to clamp the neck band portions of the shirts therebetween, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 11.

The tails of the shirts are then drawn under the ends I41 and 048 of the tail clamping member to retain the button hole strip and button pleat strip D and E of the shirts in taut condition on the bucks.

The remaining body portions of the shirts, including the sleeves, are then placed upon the supporting aprons 16 and 11 carried by the front buck supporting yoke member 38.

The operator then depresses the foot pedal 222 to rock the counter lever 225 in a clockwise direction, Fig. 2, to cause the rod 221 to rock the lever 281 for raising the plunger 2I4 out of engagement with the socket 289 to release the turret.

Movement of the counterlever 225 also actuates the valve 246 to admit air under pressure to the power side of the piston 236 to cause the roller 248 to act on the cam wing 244 and effect rotation of the turret in an anti-clockwise direction, Fig". '1.

When the foot lever is depressed and the turret begins to rotate, the cam 251 will move the engagement with the foot lever and hold it in depressed position until the low lobe portion 259 of the camicomes into alignment with the pawl.

At thistime the spring 262 moves the pawl out of latching engagement with the foot lever so that the foot lever is returned to its normal position under influence of the spring 239 which also 45 rocks the counter lever 225 in the opposite direction shutting off flow of air to the cylinder 235 and opening exhaust through the port 249.

The momentum of the rotating, turret will cause the cam portion 243 to move the piston in retracted position and expel the air from the cylinder.

The plunger 2 for the back pressing bucks will then ride up the cam track 2I8 and latch in the socket 289 to stop rotation of the turret.

The shirts applied to the front pressing buck are then in position directly under the ironing head.

As soon as the plunger 2 drops into' the socket 289, the lever 281 will be rocked, thereby actuating the valve rod 283 and opening communication between the air supply pipe 2M and the port 282 leading to the power side of the piston I91. Air admitted to the cylinder raises the piston to cause the ram I96 to engage the post 39 for raising the pressing bucks into pressing relation with the ironing head.

This movement of the lever 281 does not effect operation of the counter lever, since the free end thereof moves loosely over the rod 221.

The back of a third shirt is then spread over the back pressing bucks-5| and 52 and the pressing bucks are adjusted to the width of the shirt by actuating-he rod 15.

The operator then presses the foot pedal to 7b effect lowering of the front pressing bucks by shutting oil the air supply to the pressing cylinder I90, opening the exhaust valve Ni and the valve 249 which admits air to the turret actuating cylinder 235. This movement also releases the turret for rotation by the actuating cylinder, but in the reverse direction, for the reason that the roller 24!) is then engaging the cam wing 243 so that the turret moves in a clockwise direction, Fig. 7 in returning the front pressing bucks to the operatorsposition and the back pressing buck into alignment with the ironing head.

As soon as the plunger 2| 4 of the back pressing bucks drops into the socket 209, the lever 20'! will actuate the valve 200 for admitting the air to the cylinder I90 for raising the back pressing bucks into pressing relation with the ironing head.

The fronts of the shirts on the front pressing bucks are reversed and replaced over the pressing bucks as previously described, to iron the left and right fronts of the respective shirts, after which the front pressing bucks are moved into pressing engagement with the ironing head and the back pressing bucks are moved into position for removing the shirt therefrom.

Another shirt is then placed over the back pressing bucks, as previously described.

' Moisture passing into the paddings of the respective bucks is drawn therefrom by the vacuum pump 290.

Should the operator fail to release the neck band clamps, the lever Ill will engage thestop member 265 on the ironing head to effect automatic engagement of the neck band clamps so that they will not be crushedby the pressing bucks and the ironing head when the pressing bucks are moved into engagement therewith.

When the front pressing bucks move away from the ironing head, the pawl 266 will engage the pin I44 on the disk M2 to rock the lever H2 which automatically'latches the neck band loops in released position so that the shirts may be removed.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that with the machine in operation the equivalent of one complete body of a shirt is ironed upon each operation of the machine.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, an ironing head mounted on the support, a pressing buck, means for movably mounting the pressing buck on the support whereby the pressing buck is moved to and from pressing relation with the ironing head, garment clamping means carried by .the pressing buck, and release means on the ironing head engaging said clamping means for effecting release of said clamping means upon movement of the buck from said ironing head.

2. In pressing apparatus of the character described including a support, an ironing head mounted on the support, a pressing buck, means for movably mounting the pressing buck on the n 3. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of pressing buck sections, a separate garment clamp individual to each of said pressing buck sections and carried on the support between said sections, and means for movably mounting the pressing buck sections on the support for adjusting the pressing buck sections to and from said garment clamping means.

4. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of laterally spaced pressing bucks, a garment clamp associated with each of said pressing bucks, means for movably mounting the pressing bucks on the support for movement to and from each other to adjust the pressing bucks relatively to said garment clamping means, an ironing head on the support,

means for moving the pressing buck to and from pressing relation with the ironing head, and means on the ironing head controlling said clamping means.

5. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of pressing buck sections, a clamp associated with each ofsaid pressing buck sections to clamp the neck band of a garment for positioning garments on said sections, a tail clamp cooperating with the first named clamps to stretch the garments, and means for movably mounting the pressing buck sections on the support for adjusting said sections relatively to said garment positioning clamps.

6. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, an ironing head carried by the support, a pair of pressing buck sections, a garment clamp associated with each of said sections, means for mounting the pressing buck sections on the support for movement to and from the ironing head, and means for adjusting the pressing buck sections relatively to said garment clamping means for accommodating garments of different size, whereby one half of the front portions of two different size garments are pressed by the ironing head upon each movement of the pressing buck sections under the ironing head.

7. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of pressing buck sections, a garment clamp associated with each of said pressing buck sections, means for movably mounting the pressing buck sections on the sup port for adjustment relatively to said garment clamping means, an ironing head on the support, means for moving the pressing buck sections to and from pressing relation with the ironing head, and means operable incidental to movement of the pressing buck sections for effecting actuation of said garment clamping means. 8. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a supporting frame, an ironing head mounted on the supporting frame, a turret including radially extending arms, means for rotatably mounting the turret on the supporting frame, pressing bucks, means for mounting the pressing bucks on said arms for movement in a direction toward the ironing head when vertically aligned therewith, opposed cam members on the turret. an actuator on the supporting frame engaging with said cam members for oscillating the turret to bring the pressing bucks into alternate alignment with the ironing head, and means on the supporting frame for raising the pressing bucks into pressing engagement with the ironing head.

9. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, 21 supporting frame, an ironing head mounted on the supporting frame, a turret rotatably mounted on the supporting frame, garment pressing bucks, means for mounting the garment pressing bucks on the turret, means on the supporting frame for raising the pressing bucks, means on the supporting frame for effecting oscillation of the turret to alternately move the pressing bucks into pressing relation with the ironing head, means carried by the turret for latching the turret against movement when one of the pressing bucks is in alignment with the pressing head, means for rendering said raising means effective, and actuating means connected with said last named means and operable by the latching means I to raise the pressing bucks.

10. In a pressing apparatus of the character described. a support, a pair of pressing buck sections, a neck band clamp associated with each of said pressing buck sections, a tail clamp cooperating with the neck band clamps to retain garments on the pressing buck sections, and means adjustably mounting the pressing buck sections on the support for adjusting the sections relatively to said neck ban-d clamps for accommodating the fronts of two different size garments.

11. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a supporting frame, an ironing head mounted on the supporting frame, a pair of spaced garment pressing bucks, means for adjustably mounting the garment pressing-bucks on the frame for movement to and from each other to accommodate garments of different sizes, a bridge plate yieldingly supported on the pressing bucks for bridging the space therebetween, and a plurality of layers of cloth carried by the bridge plate and having different degrees of overlap on the pressing bucks.

12. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of pressing buck sections mounted on the support, means for moving the pressing buck sections to and from each other,

- a bridge member yieldingly supported for movement in the direction of the plane of the pressing buck sections, and means for effecting movement of the pressing buck sections to and from the bridge member for accommodating the buck sections to garments of different sizes.

for accommodating backs of garments of difierent sizes, and a plurality of layers of sheet material carried by the bridgemember and having diflerent degrees of overlap on the pressing buck sections for preventing creasingof the garments at the juncture of the bridge member with the pressing buck sections.

14. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of pressing buck sections mounted on the support, a bridge plate having feathered side edges resting on adjacent side edges of the pressing buck sections, a double faced cloth carried by the bridge plate and having edges overlapping the pressing buck sections beyond the feathered edges of said plate, a second cloth having edges overlying the buck sections to a greater extent than do the edges of the double faced cloth, and means for moving the buck sections to and from each other to accommodate garments of different sizes.

15. In a pressing apparatus of the character described, a support, a pair of pressing buck sections' mounted on the support for movement to and from each other, padding on the pressing buck sections, a bridge plate having feathered side edges resting on the padding at adjacent sides of said bucks, a plurality of layers of cloth carried by the bridge plate and having different degrees of overlap on the padding, and means yieldingly retaining the bridge plate in central position on the support between said pressing buck sections and for movement in the direction of the plane of the pressing buck sections.

ARCHIE 0. LONG. 

